Skunk Shrimp Molt or Dead?

[isomorphic85]

Just added 2 peppermint shrimp and 2 scarlet skunk shrimp last night.

I saw all 4 of them for about 2 hrs hanging out ...

came to check on them this morning , can't find 2 of the peppermint shrimp at all , no traces of anything.

and I found this... which is either the molt or remains of a scarlet skunk shrimp..

what does this look like to you molt or remains?

the other scarlet skunk is out and about on the rock work.

only fish in the tank are a yellow tang and 2 ocellaris clowns.

2 mexican turbo snails, 1 nassarius snail

ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 6

 

[killinit123]

looks like a molt to me.. and chances are you will not see the peps during the day they are nocturnal

 

[gone fishin]

I agree

 

[Sounds Fishy]

I purchased 6 peppermint shrimp 5 months ago,and I saw one finally today.Looks like molt to me as well.

 

[isomorphic85]

are there any distinguishing things I can look for to determine if it's a molt?

 

[Sounds Fishy]

I have a lobster that leaves his old molt lying around periodically.If the molt is split on the dorsal side,that is usually where it opens,and that is one characteristic. I have seen my lobster molt right after moving from one aquarium to another,within 24 hours.It may be brought on by reacting to new water parameters,so for your shrimp to molt so fast,doesn't sound unusual to me.

 

[pinnatus]

are there any distinguishing things I can look for to determine if it's a molt?

Yes.

It will be empty.
There will be another, somewhat larger and somewhat more brightly colored shrimp nearby. Laughing at you.

 

[BrianKC]

My pistol shrimps eat their molts. Apparently it reclaims calcium? I have two and swore one was eating the other. I don't see any guts or a head so, I vote molt as well.

 

[JamesHolt]

Yes.

It will be empty.
There will be another, somewhat larger and somewhat more brightly colored shrimp nearby. Laughing at you.

Thats what my fire shrimp does, I always get to see the molt when it is fresh and colorful, I panic and then he peeks out :wavehand:

 

[isomorphic85]

I'm still waiting to see him laugh at me so I can feel better lol ...

I only put him in the tank yesterday and the next morning I find this lol

 

[isomorphic85]

haven't seen a trace of this guy .... safe to assume it was remains and not molt?

 

[Sully6768]

Not necessarily. Their new skeleton is very soft for a few days after most so they tend to hide for a few days. Nothing unusual at all to me.

 

[gone fishin]

I agree after a molt they are vulnerable and tend to hide out.

 

[ChadO]

No doubt it is a molt. After molting, they are vulnerable, so they hide out. Very common for water changes or changing tanks to trigger a molt. If you find a dead one, the colors and solid body are still there, just muted - unless something else consumes them, then you may find very little to nothing at all.

 

[isomorphic85]

i'm just shocked I haven't even seen a trace of him since...

i'm thinking one of my snails could have devoured him over the night and what i found in the morning was what resembled a molt?

it was monday night the shrimp went in... haven't seen a trace of that guy since... the other scarlet skunk is out and about , and i've seen both other peppermints at lights out

 

[ChadO]

If you've seen everyone else, and just not the missing one, then odds are he's not there anymore.

I was thinking, another possibility is that the molt that was in your tank was from one of the other shrimp all along. The molt wouldn't have to be from the missing one - that one may have just never acclimated very well and died, and the molt could have come from one that's still in your tank and doing just fine. The assumption that the molt has to be from the missing one is just a guess. It could just as easily have come from one that is still in the tank and doing just fine.

 

[isomorphic85]

just an update... never saw this guy... he's gone.